Dental amalgamator



Aug. 8, 1950 F. L. STEVENS 2,518,396

DENTAL AMALGAMATOR Filed Dec. 16, 1947 Patenteci Aug. 8, 1950 ITED DENTAL AMALGAMATOR .Farron L. Steven s, Detroit, Mich.,-=assignor to.

Martin S. DEssen, New'Yoifk,"N.iY.

9 Claims.

, be adjusted to a position wherein a drivingzrelation is establishedwith the dental engineparts Another object is to-nroduee anaainalgamator which is adapted to be attached toxadfihtalengine and which, in its operative or inoperative position, does not, in anyway, interfere with the use or operation of the dental engine.

A further object is to produce an amalgamator as an attachment adapted to be mounted on a dental engine in such position-that no interference is hadwiththe normal engine use and which. responsivetto simple adjustment, may be positioned to be driven from the driving cordof the engine rapidly and effectively to mix the amalgam ingredients.

A still furtherobject is toproduce an amatgamator in whieh'the capsulecontaining the amalgam is resiliently gripped between'spring fingers on the endof a rockable arm.

A stillfurther object'is to produce anarnalgamato-r, of the type described, having an eccentric driven from the driving cord of the dental engine and cooperating with an elongate slot in the rockable arm to effect vigorous rocking movement .of thearm.

Another object is to produce an amalgamator attachment formed of. relatively few parts readily assembled to form a compact unit adapted to effect the desired agitation in an efficient manner.

These and other objects and advantages-of this invention will become apparent from'the following description, and forpurposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawing, in

which- 'Figure 1'is a fragmentary perspective View of a dental engine mounting an ,amalgamator'embodying the featuresof this invention, the amalgamator being mounted thereon in an inoperative position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the amalgamator in the operative po- Sition; V

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail viewpartially in section of the capsule positioned on the end of the rocker arm; a

Fi u e-4 is e elevational. view *with parts section of the. amalsmnatordetached from the dental -e einez i Figure 5 is a detail-v ew; part al y in s c onwof th p lleys and the r supporting b a et; '-an..

Fi ure- 6. is enlar ed el vat onalv w ihe spr ng ad usti g arm -e d t a so-cia drar i Re err ngmow t 1 the orewi-na Hi indi tes'a convent onal -de tal g n w ch includ s *a frame structure comprised of :rai s oi seated pa a arms it, and eoc si ona ly braced by nonm mber -13 he c rries. ad ntal to l liolder rl onene end'w Qh'is'connect d to e driv in; a drivine oer-3d. t5 th a ed over pu e s Is and ae uatedior linear movement in either direction y am o unbeameversib e motor motshown). fienera y hecord rav in a on intermediatehe sp ced-apartrame arms. H and t2.

amal amation at achment em dy ng he feat res of invention hasa suppor n f me 1 1, one-end of which; lflmoonem os with a separate clampin arm J18 to-formadamn ns unit by which the attachm ntis ecuredrigidly to -the frame. Th cooperati smarts i8 and. 49 ar each formed with amairof .curviiineansect om :20 which are .neced an t aldis anoe correspondne't -th span b t I .ramearmsH and L2. Interconnecting coope a,ting,.:nar s t8 and. i

he lboltcarr knur eii nut li by m ans o wh h tn eo p e inapart d posed n op s t sides 0f, the frame orms L are brought into ine nn ng elation there h to, iorm ri i mounting.

The other-end oi he -support it l -is tu n d to form a hap diportionlithe outer :arm 24 of. h ch rries ar cker-arm-i firivoted thereto. asat 2:6, for sw nsins movcment sub tantially. in the same plane-es the ireme arm h outer nd portion of the-rocker arm 25' s s tt d an u ned toiprovide a. pailfof spaeed anert spring fin ers 28 and-za for grippin a apsu eafi.

As shownlin Fis fi 'capsulei an e oneate tubular housingiormedof. ri d mat rial, suohas pl stic, metalaelass ceramic-ra d the-likehe capsule an annular rib 21 intermediate its ends a apted ob dispo ed betw the spring fi gers when inthe mounted 'r1a ion,.- and iti is threaded in the regi n of its. open nd thread hi. to receive ascre osure31- W en desired, one o vmorepe'llets or: n stles-32, su h simian marbles, metal pieces, andthelike, mayb s medin th capsule with-the whalesn1 ingredients to assist in the amalgamating or mixing action.

The capsule ingredients are agitated by imparting rapid oscillatory movements to the rocker arm 25. For this purpose, there is provided a driving connection between the cord l5 and the rocker arm including a pin 33 fixed eccentrically to the side wall of a pulley 34. The .pin is slidable in a longitudinal slot 35 formed in the intermediate/portion -'of the rocker arm .25, and as the pulley rotates, the pin, which constantly operates in the slot, causes the arm to oscillate. Although a single pulley may be used, the preferred embodiment employs a pair of pulleys 34 and 31 rotatably mounted "on'opposite ends of a supporting bracket 36 which, as'illustrated in Fig. 5, is pivoted on the bolt; ,The bracket 36 is shaped to dispose the pulleys 34 and 37 in radial alignment with the driving cordl5,"and in the inoperative position, each is spaced from the cord, as illustrated in Fig. 1. However, when the bracket is rotated in the direction to bring the pulleys into operative engagement with the driving cord, a driving relation is established causing the rotation of the pulleys and concomitantly, through the eccentric connection, rocking movement of the rocker arm 25. Although mere driving engagement'is sufiicient to effect the desired results, it is more effective to turn the bracket to a position, such as is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the driving cord is so firmly engaged from opposite sides by the pulleys that it is distorted to a limited extent causing the cord further to be tensioned while enabling more substantial engagement between the cord and the respective pulleys.

Adjustment of thebracket 36 to carry the pulleys into and out of engagement with the cord is effected by means of a spring arm 38 secured at one end to a flange 39 integral with the bracket 36. The arm isformed with a'curvilinear portion 40 which resiliently engages the bight 4| of the U-shaped member 23, the arm and the bight being provided with serrations 42 and 42a respectively on the engaging surfaces more effectively to resist inadvertent movement of the bracket, such as to or from its operative position of adjustment, and'a-finger grip 43 on its end for facilitating adjusting movement.

To use the amalgamator, the capsule is loaded with the desired amalgam ingredients and pellets and then subsequently sealed with the' closure 3|. The capsule is snapped into position with the rib 26 betw'eenthe spring fingers 2B and 29 and. the bracket is adjusted to the operative position by displacing the spring arm 38 to the left until the'desired driving relation is established between the driving-cord andthe pulleys. -While the cord is moving linearly, rotational movement is. imparted to the pulley 34, and through the cooperating eccentric pin and Slot arrangement, oscillatory movement is imparted to the rocker arm, The capsule on the end of the rocker arm is rapidly; re ciprocated in the longitudinal direction to effect a rapid mixing action such as will produce a uniform amalgam in a matter of relatively few seconds. When amalgamation is completed, the pulleys may be disengaged simply by lifting the spring arm 38 to disengage the serrations. and by displacing the arm in thedirection to the right, thereby to disengage the pulleys from the cord, enabling removal of the capsulein which the amalgam .is carried ready for use.

From the description, it will he means 4 the cardinal features of thi invention reside in an amalgamator attachment adapted to be mounted on a conventional dental engine in such position that no interference is had with the normal operation of the dental engine whether the amalgamator attachment is in its operative or inoperative position of use. The amalgamator normally is held in the inoperative position but, responsive to simple adjustment, maybe rendered operative without, in any way, interfering with the operation or use of the dental engine or movable parts. Particular advantage results from the fact that the power for driving the amalgamator attachment is taken from the driving cord and not from the motor itself, thereby to prolong the useful life of the engine and reduce vibrations and noises which otherwise might result. Importance is also directed to the means for transmitting linear movement of the driving cord to oscillatory movements of the rocker arm in such manner that a noiseless, effortless, and eflicient mixing action is secured.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will. be understood that it is illustrative only and is not intended to be a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

. What is claimed is: V

1. A dental amalgamator for use with a dental engine having a frame and a driving cord, said amalgamator comprising a support adapted to be mounted on the frame, an arm pivotally con nected to the support, means on the end of the arm to hold a capsule, a pair of freely rotatable pulleys mounted on the support for adjustment in a manner to engage a single driving cord from opposite directions even while it is operatin to establish a driving relation therebetween conjointly in the direction toward and awayfrom the driving cord, means for holding said wheels in the adjusted position, and means for transmitting rotational movement of one of said wheels to oscillatory movement of said arms.

2. A dental amalgamator for use with a dental engine having a frame and a driving cord, said amalgamator comprising a support adapted to be mounted on a frame, an arm pivotally connected to the support, means on the end of the arm to hold a capsule,'a pair of rotatable pulleys 'arranged on opposite sides of the driving cord and adjustable conjointly toward and away from said driving cord to establish a, driving relation as a cord is distorted from its normal path of movement upon engagement with the pulleys, means releasably holding saidpulleys in the adjusted position, means for adjusting said pulleys in one direction or the other, and cooperating eccentric and slot means for transmitting rotational movement'of one of said pulleys to oscillatory movement of said arm.

3. A. dental amalgamator, as claimed in claim 2, in which the means on the end of the arm for holding the capsule comprises spaced-apart spring fingers.

4. A dental amalgamator, as claimed in claim 2, in which the cooperating eccentric and slot means comprises a pin eccentrically mounted on one of the pulleys and slidably engaging an elongate slot in the arm. a

5. A dental amalgamator for use with a dental engine having a frame and a driving cord, said amalgamator comprisin a support adapted to be mounted on the frame, an arm pivotally mounted on the support, means "on the end of V the arm to hold a capsule, a pair of rotatable pulleys movably mounted on the support for bodily shifting movement toward and away from the cord and arranged on opposite sides of the driving cord and adjustable conjointly toward and away from said driving cord to render said pulleys operative and inoperative respectively, an arm operatively connected at onet-end to adjust said pulleys and tensionally engaging a stop, the engaging surfaces of said stop-and arm being adapted to prevent inadvertent relative movement of said pulleys from their operative position of adjustment, and cooperative eccentric and slot means for transmitting rotational movement of one of said pulleys to oscillatory movement of said arm.

6. A dental amalgamator for use with a dental engine having a frame and a driving cord, said amalgamator comprising a support carried by the frame, an arm pivoted on the support and having gripping means at one end, a bracket movably mounted on the support, a pulley on the bracket and which upon movement of the bracket in one direction is carried into operative engagement with the driving cord, and cooperating eccentric and slot means for transmitting rotational movement of the pulley to oscillatory movement of the arm about its pivot.

7. A dental amalgamator for use with a dental engine having a frame and a driving cord, said amalgamator comprising a support carried by the frame, an arm pivoted on the support and having gripping means at one end, a bracket pivoted intermediate its ends on the support, pulleys carried by the ends of the bracket and which upon pivotal movement of the bracket in one direction operatively engage spaced-apart portions of the same driving cord from opposite directions to establish a driving relation, and cooperating eccentric and slot means for transmitting rotational movement of the pulleys to oscillatory movement of the arm about its pivot.

8. A dental amalgamator for use with a dental engine having a frame and a driving cord, said amalgam'ator comprising a support rigid with the frame, an arm pivoted at one end on the support and having gripping means on the other, a bracket pivotally mounted on the support at a point aligned with the driving cord, rotatable pulleys carried by the ends of the bracket whereby they are disposed on opposite sides of the driving cord operatively to engage the cord at spacedapart portions when the bracket is pivoted in one direction, and cooperating eccentric and slot means for transmitting rotational movement of a pulley to oscillatory movement of the arm.

9. A dental amalgamator, as claimed in claim 8, in which a resilient member connects with the bracket to enable its adjustment and to hold the bracket in the adjusted position.

FARRON L. STEVENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 172,802 Warth Jan. 25, 1876 1,377,680 Haight May 10, 1921 1,467,909 Rafn Sept. 11, 1923 1,739,349 Blain w Dec. 10, 1929 

